Buckle.



No. 844,540. PATENTED FEB. 19, 1907. E. H. ROY J. A. BURTON.

BUCKLE.

APPLIUATION FILED 2313.7. 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTCE.

EDWARD H. ROY AND JOSEPH A. BURTON, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

BUCKLE'.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1907.

pplication'filed February'. 1906. Serial No. 299.995.

. cerned, and one which may be readily imanipulated to accommodate strap parts ofzdifferent thicknesses in the actual .use thereof.

lFor a full description of the invention and the merits thereofand'also to acquire aknowledge of the details of construction ofthe i cross-bar 3 and secured thereto.

means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View of a buckle comprising the invention applied. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the buckle alone. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the clamping-lever. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modiiication.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

In illustrating the adaptation of the invention in the drawings the buckle is applied to an ordinary package-strap 1, and said buckle in its preferred form consists of a frame comprising an end loop 2, having an intermediate cross-bar 3, and a U-shaped end member 4, having an end cross-bar 5 connecting its sides, the two members 2 and 4 being connected by a longitudinal connecting portion 6 of the frame. When the frame of the buckle is as above described, it is designed that one end of the strap 1 be looped about the The outer end of the loop 2, as well as the sides of the member 4, preferably project up from the plane of the body of the buckle-frame at an obtuse angle, and pivoted to the cross-bar 5 is a clamping-lever 7, which is of a peculiar form and which comprises the essential feature of this invention. The clamping-lever 7 is preferably made of a sheet-metal plate,

and the outer end thereof forms a handle, by which .it may be manipulated. The other end of the -lever 7 is bent to form a strap-engaging member S, which may be described to beofsomewhat S shape in cross-section. In other words, the engaging member 8 consists of a loopportion a and an engaging portion b. The loop portion a is folded or looped about the cross-bar, so aste lestablish a pivotal connection between the lever and the frame of the buckle, while the engaging portion 5 is spaced from the inner endfof the U-shaped member 4, so as to perniit lthe strap part to' be passed between the engaging member 8 and ti' is portion of said nen-ber 4.

The construction of the engaging member 8 .is especially advantageous, as the material from .which the lever yis made is such that the elements of the member 8 are adapted for :a `certain amount of spring movement with regard 'to the engagement thereof with thestrap part. Thus as the lever 7is forced downwardly toward the top or upper side of the buckle-,frame a strap vpart passed betweenthe engaging member 8 and the inner portion of the .member4 will be engaged by the portion b ofthe member 8, and the frictional yengagement above mentioned will be such as to effectively prevent slipping of the strap in an obvious manner. The portion b of the member 8, however, by reason of the flexibility of the metal from which the lever is made, has a certain amount of spring movement toward and from the loop portion a of the lever. Further, if the clamping action of the lever is very great the portion b of the member 8, as well as the loop portion a, may move toward the body of the lever, so as to secure a double spring action to readily accommodate quite a variance in the degree of thickness of the strap parts which may be introduced into the space between the member 8 and the innermost portion of the member 4. Said innermost portion of the member 4 is transversely toothed or serrated, as shown at 9, to form a roughened surface, by which the clampin action of the lever 7 is facilitated so far as t e positive engagement -with the strap is concerned. The outer or engaging side of the portion b of the member 8 1s also preferably slightly'roughened, so as to more effectively grip the strap art.

gated in cross-section, and 'this form of this member is vsuch thatas the lever 7 is forced It will be noted in the sectional viewl Fig. 3 that the cross-bar 5 is slightly elon- IOC IIO

downwardly toward the top of the buckle the sides of the loop portiona ofthe member 8 must separate by spring movement at a certain point in the travel of said lever.

This is due to the peculiar form of the crossy bar, which necessitates a positive pressure on' the lever before the latter may be thrown v particularly to be applied to a buggy-top for holding the back and side curtains 1n place. This is a double construction of the buckle, involving the use of two clamping-levers 10, which are preferably made of. sheetmetal, somewhat similar to the lever 7, before described, except that they are formed .with longitudinal side flanges 11. The levers 10 in this instance are pivoted to pintles or cross-bars 12, supported in ears 13, which project upwardly from opposite ends of the frame 14 of the article. The frame 1Apreierably consists of a piece of sheet metal, preferably formed as above described, and the outer ends of the levers 10 are pivoted, said levers being adapted to be manipulated by grasping the inner ends thereof. The

ends of two strap parts, such as indicated at 15, may be received between the frame 151 of the buckle and the engaging members 16 of the levers 10 and effectively clamped. The buckle shown in Fig. 5 is not illustrated as it would be applied, as it embodies the same principle, as set forth with regard to the preferred form of the invention as described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a buckle, the combination of a frame, a cross-bar connecting side portionsof said frame, and a clamp-lever consisting of a plate having an end thereof bent into y'S shape to form a loop portion receiving the cross-bar aforesaid to. establish pivotal connection between the lever and the frame, said loop portion being provided with a vcurved extension constituting the terminal engaging portionto coact with the frame as specified, the loop and extended portion t ereof bein adapted for spring movement toward the ody of the lever to accommodate various thicknesses of strap parts connected with the rbuckle thereby.

In testimonywhereof we affix our signa-V` tures in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD H. ROY. JOSEPH A.' BURTON. Witnesses:

FELIX E. TANNER, VOLNEY JAMES. 

